Etymologically
Log in

levis

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 15 October 2026 at 19:20. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɫɛ.wɪs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈlɛː.vis][1]

Forms

levis (neuter leve, comparative levior, superlative levissimus, adverb leviter); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *leχu-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₁legʷʰ-u- (“light”).[2][1] De Vaan notes two forms of the root, with and without a nasal, and Latin continues the one without.[2] The old u-stem adjective was remade as an i-stem, a change found in all such Latin adjectives.[2][1]

Cognate with Old Irish laigiu (“lighter, poorer”), Sanskrit रघु (raghú-, “swift”), Ancient Greek ἐλαχύς (elakhús, “small”), Lithuanian leñgvas (“light”), Gothic 𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌷𐍄𐍃 (leihts, “light”) and English light.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus onwards,[2] who calls a man “lighter than a feather”.[3][4]

Semantic evolution

It meant light in weight, nimble and quick, and unburdened, and Caesar's levis armatura are light-armed troops.[3] It described a gentle touch, a mild breeze, thin air, and food or wine that is easily digested.[3]

Figuratively a task, a loss or a pain was light, that is, easy or bearable, while an argument was weak and a person without influence.[3] It meant trivial and, of literature, light and meant to amuse.[3] Of people it meant fickle or unreliable, as Cicero's inconstans ac levis.[3] Medieval music theory used it for a high pitch.[5] It survives as Italian lieve and Spanish and Portuguese leve.[1] English levity comes from levitās, and lever from levāre “to raise”.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus calls a man lighter than a feather.[3][7]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius writes of lighter and heavier bodies falling.[3][7]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses levis armatura for light-armed troops.[3][7]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for light wines and for fickle people.[3][7]
  • c. 1300 – English lever comes through Old French levier.[6]
  • 1560s – English levity is first recorded.[6]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Light (in weight).[3][4]
  2. Nimble, quick.[3][1]
  3. Unburdened, (military) light-armed.[3]
  4. Gentle, slight, mild; thin.[3]
  5. (of food) Easily digested.[3][1]
  6. Easy; bearable.[3]
  7. Weak, of little force; without influence.[3]
  8. Trivial, unimportant.[3][1]
  9. Meant to amuse, light.[3]
  10. Fickle, unreliable.[3][1]
  11. (Medieval Latin, music) High (in pitch).[5]

Word family

  • leuiculus
  • levidēnsis
  • levifīdus
  • levipēs
  • leuisomnus
  • levitās
  • leviter
  • levō
  • perleuis
  • English levity
  • English lever
  • English alleviate

Usage notes

A different word, lēvis with a long e, means “smooth”; it is found from Cato on and is related to Ancient Greek λεῖος (leîos, “smooth”).[2][3] Döderlein contrasts this lēvis, a pleasant smoothness, with glaber, bare or hairless.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Lexicon musicum Latinum medii aevi (1992–), Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften; online ed. Wörterbuchnetz
  6. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper